Device for oiling vehicle-axles



(No Moaei.

- C. T; MOORMAN.

DEVICE FOR OILING VEHICLE AXLES.

No.542,064. Patented July 211895.

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lTED STATES- ATENT' OFFICE.

CHARLES T. MOORMAN, OF PAOKWVOQD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TOCHARLES A. MOORMAN, OF SAME PLACE, AND ELI W. MOORMAN, OF

IOKA, IOl/VA.

DEVICE FOR OILING VEHICLE-AXLES SPECIFIGA'I'ION forming part of LettersPatent No. 542,064, dated July 2, 1895.

Application filed August 24, 1894. Serial No. 521,181. (Nb model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownrthat 1, CHARLES T. MOORMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Packwood, in the county of Jeiferson and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for OilingVehicle-Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable I 0others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention has relation to a device for oiling vehicle-axles; and itconsists in certain peculiarities in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts, substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims. i a

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, durable, andpractical device by the use of which axle-spindles may be more quicklyand easily lubricated than is now possible. This object is accomplishedby the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed. in accordance withmy invention, showing the same in the position it occupies while beingoperated. Fig. 2 is a View, partly 3o in'section, with the parts in theposition they may occupy when the device is not in Opera tion. Fig. 3 isa detail View of the device used when it is desired to support the wheelin upright position in order to cleanse the spindle or adjust thewashers. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the valve for controlling the issuei of the lubricant. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the cap for the frame.

The'same letters of reference designate the 40 same parts in the severalfigures.

The frame of my improved device consists of the two parts A and A,pivotally joined together by the bolt Z, and made of any suitable shape.Said part A supports the lubricater B and is provided with foot-piecesa, which may be any suitable construction that will enable them toengage the hub of the wheel. To the part A is pivoted an arm 0, havingat its upper end an operating handle or lever C, by means of which itslower end is advanced toward or retracted from the wheel, and said lowerendof the arm 0 carries a wrench D, which in the operation of the deviceis designed to engage the nut on the axle-spindle and to unscrew saidnut from or to screw it upon said axle-spindle. For this purpose thehead cl of the wrench is mounted upon one end of a shaft d, to the otherend of which is secured a handle d by means of which it is operated.

E designates a spring which is intended to act automatically to hold thefoot-pieces a into close engagement with the wheel-hub and, also to movethe wheel longitudinally upon the spindle during the operation of un- 55screwing the nut from the axle. Any construction or arrangement ofspring or any [other suitable means which will accomplish the objectstated may be employed without departing from the spirit of theinvention; but I prefer the construction shown, which consists of a bentspring located at the j unction of the two parts A and A of the frameand having one end seated in said part A and the other end seated insaid part A and its intermediate part engaged with the pivotal bolt Z,as shown in Fig. 2, the spring thereby causing said part A of the frameto exert a constant pressure upon the wheel-hub in the direction of theburr, and as said part A is pivoted the pressure above described willcause the wheel to follow the burr as the. latter is being unscrewedwhen the wheel is elevated off theground. By the use of such a springaccidental disengagement of the device from the wheel is prevented andthe necessity for handling the wheel in order to move it upon thespindle is avoided, as is obvious.

I The lubricator B, above referred to, consistsof a tubular or othersuitably-shaped body havinginits lower end a spout b for the escape ofoil and in its upper end an opening I), through which it is suppliedwith oil. Said spout projects upward into the body of the lubricator andthe channel through it is tapered, as shown in Fig. 2. This spoutisnormally closed by means of a valve or plug b which fits within theupper end of said spout and isof somewhat greater taper than the openingthrough the same. Said plug has a [co cup-shaped part b and a packingring I), which fit the upper end of said spout and thereby serveeffectually to prevent the es cape of oil when the device is not in use.The plug is secured to the lower end of a vertically-movable stem or rod1), the upper end of which is secured to a centrally-pivoted horizontallever b', the free end of which is formed into or provided with athumb-piece 19"", by means of which said end may be depressed to raisethe plug 19 from its seat when it is desired to allow the oil to escape.A spring b of any suitable construction is used to hold the plugnormally to its seat and to return it to its seat when pressure upon thethumb-piece 19" is released.

The springs E and 11 and the lever 12' are preferably inclosed withinhollowed-out parts of the frame, to which hollow parts access is bad byremoving a cap G, which cap is removably secured to the part A of theframe by providing it with hooks or projections g g and engaging thesame under projections g and the pivotal bolt l, respectively.

In order to enable the device to support the wheel in upright positionwhen it is required to set it aside for the purpose of cleansing thespindle or adjusting washers, I have provided a detachable leg orsupport I-I, having at its bottom diverging feet and at its upper endslots h h, which are designed to engage pins h h, projecting from theend of the arm 0, said slots extending in different directions and oneof them having an open end, as

shown in Fig. 3, for convenience in attaching said support to orremoving it from said arm. When the wheel is withdrawn from the spindleaudit is desired to hold it upright, the

foot-pieces a are engaged with its hub and the leg is attached, as abovedescribed. The wheel rests with its tire in contact with the ground andis prevented from falling over by the balancing force provided by thesubstantially inverted-U-shaped frame of the lubricator and the leg withdiverging feet.

The handle 0' is provided with a recess within which is secured one endof a springcatch 0 the free end of whichsprings outward into engagementwith the outer side of the part A of the frame when brought oppositethereto and thereby locks said handle and the arm 0 in the positionshown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the device hereinabove described the part A of theframe is engaged with one end of the hub of the wheel and the arm 0 ismoved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1and the head 61 of the wrench is engaged with the axle-nut. The handle01 of the wrench is now turned to loosen the nut by one hand of theoperator, while with his other hand he may depress the free end of lever12, so as to allow the oil to escape and lubricate the spindle, uponwhich latter the wheel is moved automatically by the pressure exertedupon .it by the action of the spring E during the operation ofunscrewing said nut, and obviously the part A of the frame and thelubricant-receptacle supported by the same follow said wheel, therebydistributing the lubricant throughout the length of the spindle.

It will of course be understood that the I wheel is held elevated offtheground bya lifting-jack during the operation of oiling the I believe tobe new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an axle lubricator, the combination with a frame adapted to beattached to a wheel, a lubricant receptacle supported by said frame andprovided with a valve for closing its discharge opening, and a lever,connected with said valve and serving to raise the same from its seat,when depressed, substantially as described.

2. In an axle lubricator, the combination with the frame, having apivoted part provided with devices for engaging it with the wheel andalso provided with means for antomatically moving it in a directionlengthwise of the axle spindle, of a lubricant receptacle supported bysaid pivoted part of the frame, substantially as described.

3. In an axle lubricator, the combination with the frame, having apivoted part designed to be engaged with a vehicle wheel, and a springacting upon said pivoted part for the purpose specified, of a lubricantreceptacle supported by said pivoted part of the frame and movabletherewith. Y

4:- In an axle lubricator, the combination with a frame, having apivoted part provided with devices for attaching. it to a wheel, and aspring acting upon said pivoted part of the frame, of a lubricantreceptacle, supported by said pivoted part of the frame and providedwith a Valve for closing its discharge opening, and a lever, connectedwith said valve and serving when its free end is depressed to raise saidvalve from its seat.

5. In an axle lubricator, the combination with a frame, adapted to beattached to a wheel, of a lubricant receptacle, supported by said frameand provided with a discharge spout, a valve normally closing theopening IIO said frame, a wrench carriedby said rod, and an operatinghandle for said'rod.

8. The combination with a frame adapted to be attached to a wheel, of arod, pivoted to said frame a wrench carried by said rod, and anoperating handle for said rod, said handle having a spring catch,substantially as described.

9. A means for supporting a wheel in vertical position when removed.from its axle spindle,said means embodyinga substantially invertedU-shaped frame one side of which is designed to be attached to the wheeland having at its other side a supporting leg having a broadened basedetachabl-y secured to it, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the frame of an axle lubricator, said framebeing of substantially inverted U-shape, one leg of which is designed tobe attached to the vehicle wheel, an' arm pivoted to the other leg ofsaid frame and provided with an operating handle, and a supporting leghaving a broadened base detachably secured to said handle, substantiallyas described and for the purpose specified.

11. The herein-described lubricator for axle spindles, embodying a framemade in sections pivotally attached together, a lubricant reoeptaclesupported by one of said sections, a rod pivoted to the other of saidsections, and a wrench carried by said rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. MOORMAN. Witnesses:

CHARLES WARFIELD, HENRY A. RUSSELL.

